Vakhmistrov I-Ze

The Vakhmistrov I-Ze was a parasite fighter designed in the USSR in 1934-5.

Development

To take the best advantage of parasite bomber/fighter combinations like the Vakhmistrov Zveno project, Vakhmistrov designed a special fighter to be carried by Kalinin VS-2 bombers. This aircraft was to have been a small low-wing monoplane powered by an Gnome-Rhone GRKs engine. With a weight of only 1910 kg, it was expected that a top speed of 518 km/h would be attainable. Weight was to be kept to a minimum by the use of a centerline skid undercarriage and small dimensions:- a wingspan of 7.75m and a wing area of only.
Construction of the prototype was started but discontinued in 1936 when support faded for the Zvyeno concept, as the supporters were eliminated in the Stalinist purges.